Historical Differences in Late Work Life Experiences and Retirement Adjustment

• Applicant: Dr. Georg Henning
• Subject Area: Developmental and Educational Psychology
• Term: since 2020
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 441444293

The present research project deals with the effects of historical change on well-being and health of older workers and retirees. Analyses are based on the German Ageing Survey (currently 1996-2020) and the German Socioeconomic Panel (currently 1984-2019). We expect historical difference because of pension reforms, cohort differences but also the effects of the covid-19 pandemic. There are three main research questions:1. How has the Covid-19 pandemic influenced retirement adjustment?Individuals in the retirement transition could be particularly vulnerable with respect to consequences of the pandemic, because they are in a psychosocial transition phase.2. How has the psychosocial and health situation of older workers (50+) changed across historical time in Germany? Previous studies showed cohort differences in psychosocial resources in midlife and older age, which may have contributed to historical differences in health and well-being of older workers. Furthermore, pension reforms made it more difficult to retire early, which may have affected feelings of control and may also have influenced the composion of older workers.3. Are there specific (latent) sub-groups of older workers or retirees that are differentially affected by historical time? Previous studies mainly focused on mean-level differences when studying the effects of historical time. In addition, we will test if new subgroups of older workers and retirees have developed with historical time, or if stable subgroups differ in size and characteristics over historical time.Results of the present research project are useful for lifespan psychology, as they offer new knowledge about the role of historical context for development in midlife and older age. Furthermore, our results may inform societal debates about prolonging the work life and healthy aging.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• International Connection: Israel, Sweden, United Kingdom
• Co-Investigator: Dr. Oliver Huxhold
• Cooperation Partners: Professor Dr. Martin Hyde, Ph.D.; Dr. Graciela Muniz-Terrera; Dr. Dikla Segel-Karpas; Dr. Andreas Stenling